Whoa Horse!!

In my fourth and final installment of my November posting, "Movie & TV Trivia!! Stripped and Hung Out to Dry" found in Union Suit Fans in the Limelight, additional photos of the man in white sitting upon his horse with a noose around his neck (Entry No. 3). How did that occur?

In the 2014 EuropaCorp / Ithaca film, The Homesman, Tommy Lee Jones stars as George Briggs. Jones also co-wrote the screenplay and directed this film.

Briggs is an 1854 Nebraska Territory claim jumper, who steals land from his neighbor who was out of town at the time. One early morning, four men decide to hold Briggs accountable for his thievery by sneaking up onto the roof of his sodhouse abode. 

One drops explosives down into the fireplace chimney. 

Within moments the widow and door are blown out....

Briggs, who had been resting, stumbles out of what remains of the door, 

covered in soot, barefoot in his union suit.

One man takes aim but decides not to shoot the disoriented Briggs in the back. He has a much better idea!

Wondering what the blazes has happened, Biggs faces his captors and then looks back at what remains of the abode. While mustering as much dignity as he can, he buttons the rear flap of his union suit...

 as the men command him to follow them to a large tree. There he is made to sit on his horse wearing only his long underwear. His hands are tied behind his back and a noose hung around his neck. Rather than slap the horse in order to have it lunge forward, hanging the thief, they leave Briggs carefully and quietly sitting astride the animal, carefuly coaxing it not to move a muscle. 

That same morning, spinster Mary Bee Cuddy (Hillary Swank) is on her way to assist three distressed women whom she hopes to transport safely back to a more civilized part of the country. It is hoped there they can finally receive the help they need.  

From a distant, she spies a man in white quietly sitting on a horse underneath a massive tree. 

.

As she urges her mules closer to the horseman, she sees that he sits there tied, wearing nothing but his soot covered union suit. 

Miss Cuddy sees that he needs her help as much as she needs his. After assessing the situation, desperately needing a driver to help protect the women across a cold, uncertain future, 

and only after Briggs agrees to assist her, she climbs down from her wagon, walks over to cut the rope holding him to the tree, freeing him from certain strangulation. 

 

Stumnned and relieved, Briggs sits atop his horse...  

before falling exhausted to the ground:

Miss Cuddy offers to drive him back to the destoyed dwelling. Briggs climbs up into her wagon for the short ride back.....

Arriving, he climbs down and heads for whatever clothes and personal affects are left inside and, no doubt, wondering just what he has gotten himself into:  

 

The Homesman is dark, authentic and somewhat depressing. But the film is noted for its excellent cinemantography and top-rated acting. Streaming everywhere or for purchase at about $10.00, spend a quiet evening watching a thought provoking movie.